Waggin' Tales Pet Blog

We’ve entered Holiday Season 2018. Grocery stores are pulling out the turkeys and baking supplies for Thanksgiving, and big-box stores have set up Christmas trees. With Thanksgiving about a week away and Christmas only five to six weeks from now, this is a good time to remind pet parents of the dangers the holiday season can present to our furry family members.

Here are five pet safety tips to be mindful of these next two months:

Be cautious with human foods. Although some foods, like turkey and pumpkin, are fine for pets, other edibles, like garlic and chocolate, are not. (more on this next week)

Keep a lid on the trash. Enticing aromas from turkey bones and other foods may make your pet a garbage hound. Therefore, make sure the trash is out of your furry friend’s reach – poultry bones can cause great damage to an animal’s insides, and some animals die from ingesting such objects.

Decorations can be dangerous. Therefore, keep them out of your pets’ reach. Candles, lights, tinsel, even some plants can harm our pets, especially if chewed/swallowed.

Added noise and activity can cause anxiety. Make sure your pets wear identification in case they slip out of the door with guests coming and going; you may also want to set up a “quiet room” for your animals to go and get away from the crowds and activity.

Anchor the tree. Some people erect their Christmas trees right after Thanksgiving; others wait until closer to Christmas. Whenever you put up your tree, make sure it’s securely anchored. Cats especially are attracted by sparkling lights and dangling decorations – their swatting, jumping, and playing can knock over a Christmas tree, so make sure it’s secure.

Make sure you know your veterinarian’s holiday hours and the phone number of the emergency vet clinic in your community in case something should happen. Another handy number to have is the ASPCA Poison Control Hotline:1-888-426-4435. Although we hope nothing happens to our furry family members, having these phone numbers handy and knowing if your vet (or another) is available on-call is good information to have just in case.

NEXT WEEK: A guest post from Katie at Personal Creations on Thanksgiving Food Do’s and Don’t’s for your pet, including creative food and treat ideas from your left-overs! Be sure to stop by! Meantime, check out the graphic below from Personal Creations for this week's blog post.

As Old Man Winter barrels down on much of the United States, snow and ice build up on sidewalks and driveways. To rid our walkways of the dangers of icy conditions, which can lead to falls and broken bones, we often put down ice melt. However, those can have their own hazards, especially for our pets.

The primary ingredient in most ice melt products can be sodium chloride or calcium chloride. These substances can irritate the paws of pets and can also be harmful, even deadly, if ingested. A dog or cat that’s been outside and picks up salt or ice melt on its feet then licks its paw after coming indoors could experience vomiting or diarrhea. Even just a few ounces of sodium chloride or calcium chloride in a small dog or cat can be deadly.

There are two positive solutions to ice melt concerns.

Use less toxic products, such as Safe Paws or Morton Safe-T-Pet. No ice melt should be considered entirely safe; however, these types contain urea, and are not as harmful, causing upset stomach and drooling.

Place boots or socks on your pets when they are outside, especially when walking your dog. Not knowing what types of ice melts your neighbors use on their sidewalks and driveways, covering on your pets’ feet will help protect them from any type of salt product being used.

Crystals from salt and ice melt can get between your pet’s pads, causing irritation and potential burns. Take time to clean your dogs’ feet after a walk and your cats’ paws if they venture outdoors during winter. Paying close attention to your animals’ feet will help keep them more safe and healthy during these snowy months.

Thanksgiving is upon those of us living the United States, a time of family, friends, and feasting. However, there are many foods which are good for people but harmful to our pets. Additionally, the comings and goings of loved ones can cause stress in pets.

Here are four tips to help keep your pets healthy and safe during this special holiday:

Keep pie, yeast dough, turkey bones and skin away from pets. Your animals can have a poisonous reaction, bloat, choke, even die if any of these human food items are consumed.

Put plants and decorations out of the reach of your pets. There are many types of flowers and other plants purchased and used by people during the holiday season; some are poisonous to our dogs and cats. And, other decorations can be harmful as well. Therefore, make sure your dogs and cats cannot get to flowers, plants, and festive décor. The ASPCA website provides a list of plants and flowers that are harmful to pets. If you believe your pet has consumed something harmful, contact the Pet Poison Control Hotline immediately: (888) 426-4435

Take out the trash immediately. Especially if food items are thrown out, including turkey bones, make sure the garbage is gone quickly – food smells entice dogs and cats to get into the trash; that can be not only harmful, but deadly.

Keep your pet calm, safe, and indoors. The excitement of added guests to the home, the opening and closing of doors, and the presence of young children can disrupt the normal routine for your animals – after all, Thanksgiving is not just another regular day. If you have guests visiting Thanksgiving Day and your dog is excitable, loving to welcome visitors, you may need to gate off an area of your house, preventing dogs from jumping on people and from escaping out an open door. If your pet, cat or dog, is more on the shy side, having those animals inside a closed room may be beneficial, keeping them away from all the goings-on. If young children are at the gathering, there is risk of bites or scratches from your pets. Therefore, be pro-active when it comes to guests and pets, making sure each is safe (also make sure your pets are wearing ID tags and/or are micro-chipped, in case of an escape artist).

With the warming of the earth, the shining of the sun, and the blueness of the sky, spring brings colorful flowers, green grass, and planted vegetables. This season brings great beauty …. it can also bring hazards for pets.

Products such as paints and solvents can be toxic to pets, causing severe irritation or chemical burns. Carefully read all labels to see if the products you have on hand are safe to use around your furry friends. Also, be cautious and conscious about things like nails, staples, insulation, saws and blades, and other tools and materials.

Products like fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides which keep plants and lawns healthy and green can be dangerous if a pet ingests them. Store these items out of the way and follow labels carefully.

Spring cleaning the house happens during this time of year; be sure to keep all cleaners and chemicals out of your pets’ reach. Cleaning products can contain chemicals that harm pets. Read and follow label directions for proper use and storage. The ASPCA provides a listing of household products than can be poisonous to pets: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/poisonous-household-products.

Like people, pets can be allergic to foods, dust, plants, and pollens. Allergic reactions in dogs and cats causes itching, sneezing, even life-threatening anaphylactic shock to things like insect bites and stings. If you believe your pet has a springtime allergy, visit your veterinarian and consider have your pet tested to learn what causes the allergy. Also, put your pet is on year-round heartworm preventive medication as well as a flea and tick control program. Ask your vet to recommend a treatment to keep these pests at bay.

If you suspect your pet may have ingested something potentially poisonous, contact your local veterinarian or the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.